Quotes About Regret

My deepest regret from my years in public service is the failure of the United States and the international community to act sooner to halt these crimes.

Classic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment. If you have behaved badly, repent, make what amends you can and address yourself to the task of behaving better next time. On no account brood over your wrongdoing. ROLLING IN THE MUCK IS NOT THE BEST WAY OF GETTING CLEAN.

He's going to give me a farewell kiss, but what good is it to me now when he never did it before. I would have preferred kisses that began something, not kisses that end things.

El agua de Venecia esconde ya demasiada oscuridad y en el limo de la laguna no hay espacio para más. Venecia se levanta sobre los secretos y errores de los que quisieron venir aquí a olvidar y la ciudad se hunde sobre ellos.

I asked myself whether, in bygone days, men had longed for bygone days as I, this summer morning, longed for certain ways of life that man had lost forever.

Hence Joshua giggled to himself: life appeared to him exactly like the joint burning inexorably toward his fingertips—once it's smoked it cannot be unsmoked.

It is not easy to wash off the shame when it has already been glued to a person.

It's a strange grief… to die of nostalgia for something you you will never live.

È uno strano dolore. Piano. - Morire di nostalgia per qualcosa che non vivrai mai.

Perché è così che ti frega, la vita. Ti piglia quando hai ancora l'anima addormentata e ti semina dentro un'imagine, o un odore, o un suono che poi non te lo togli più. E quella lì era la felicità. Lo sopri dopo, quando è roppo tardi. E già sei, per sempre, un esule: a migliaia di chilometri da quell'immagine, da quel suono, da quell'odore. Alla deriva.

Ogni tanto mi chiedo che cosa stiamo aspettando? -Che sia troppo tardi.

And a while later: 'It is a strange sort of pain.' Softly. 'To die of yearning for something you'll never experience.

Maledetto colui che contrista un spirito immortal!

And sad memories eventually spoil thoughts of the places that recall them. And if they happen to be our birthplaces, those memories are liable to be even harsher and more poignant. (644)

Egli le rispose che il perdono non bastava a desiderarlo né chiederlo; ch'era una cosa troppo agevole e troppo naturale a chiunque sia trovato in colpa, e tema la punizione.

Le veniva comandata di cambiare in un nuovo rimorso un mezzo di espiazione. La sventurata tentò tutte le strade per esimirsi dall'orribile commando; tutte, fuorché la sola ch'era sicura, e che le stava pur sempre aperta davanti. Il delitto è un padrone rigido e inflessibile, contro cui non divien forte se non chi se ne ribella interamente. A questo Gertrude non voleva risolversi; e ubbidì.

I think I liked you better when you were a raging idiot.

They know their crime," she said. "They know their shame.

I want to apologise for my behaviour in my last year at United.

But I am old now; my life is older. When I made the choice I made, I did not think it was forever. It is another thing to give up so young.

Love does not forget!

So I said, "I'll miss you. You are the truest friend I've ever had." I could see that my words were a knife in his gut. Yet, it seemed kinder than the alternative, for him to know I love him, but that I'm leaving anyway.

I wonder how many times in my life I would have been able to prevent something, change something, do something different, if only I'd listened to someone.

Now that all the beauty of my old life is gone, I crave it like good. A beautiful thing like this rose: I almost want to eat it, to swallow it whole to replace the beauty I've lost.